The Council of Eternity
by detrametal
Summary: Welcome to Eternity, a city where all four races coexist-humans, tameranians, azeranthain and changeling. Each race sent ambassadors to rule the city. Of each rave the least is known about the changelings, but when a major catastrophe threatens to break the race's balance the other council members may find out how little they know about the supposedly naive people in their midst.
1. Chapter 1

Again I don't own TT…if I did I don't think Terra would have been in it…or rather, not in the capacity that she was in…

If you don't already know, there is an important note on my profile about my updates.

* * *

The Titan Council stood watch over the city of Eternity, the city where all four races met and lived together. Each group was represented on the council itself. Starfire, the Tamaranean princess, Raven, the strongest psychic of the people of Azarath, Robin and Victor Stone called Cyborg. Each a pinnacle of their own talents, Robin of martial training and Cyborg of robotics and science. The last race, though only numbering a few hundred, sent an emissary, the Changelings sent Garfield Logan also called Beast Boy. Each race was proud of the lineage and accomplishments of each of it's heroes, save the Changelings, when asked they evoked their vow of silence on the matter.

The Tower stood in the bay overlooking the city, in the early morning light the city was awash with silence. Gar sat on the roof watching the cars move across the suspension bridge with a sense of silent awe. Most changelings stayed in the secluded community know as Home. The only other place they lived was here in Eternity. Things were different here, yet the people had changed. he looked at the clothes he was wearing with a small grin, a dark gray shirt and jeans, if the people back home saw how he was dressed they would have a heart attack…but not for the reason you think.

The door to the roof opened and Raven saw the changeling dangling his legs over the edge, she wore nearly the same thing but her shirt was a very dark blue. "what are you doing up here so early?"

The morphling looked at her and for a moment his eyes seemed much older than usual before he blinked and the joking kid was back "Nothing, just wanted to hear the song of the morning!" Raven rolled her eyes and started to meditate. Much to her relief the changeling didn't say anything.

After about ten minutes the buzz of wings forced her out of her meditation, without opening her eyes she hissed "Okay, Beast Boy enough of the flapping!" when it didn't end she opened her eyes to see Beast Boy standing in front of a green hummingbird. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. This time there were two green people, one was Beast Boy, the other looked to be a five year old. A very angry five year old.

The child stomped over and gripped her collar and pulled her floating form eye level to him, his eyes held a timelessness that put a bit of uncertainty in Raven "Do not speak to Master that way!" he was about to say more when Beast Boy laid a hand on his shoulder. The boy looked up sheepishly "U-um, as I was going to say, the reason I'm here," he let go of Raven and his features melted with sorrow "Elder Ophelia has passed, we need you back. We need all our people back."

Beast Boy had a look of intense sorrow and he walked back into the tower. He came back moments later with a horn. A horn carved of a silver wood in a single piece shaped into a Kudu horn nearly three feet long. He lifted it gently until the end was level with the rising sun. the note that came out of the horn was as pure as a mountain breeze, as long as a summer day, as deep as the ocean and as sorrowful as a dying star.

In the city everyone felt the horn call and awoke to it, from the baby Tamaraneans to the deepest meditators of Azarath. Forty-eight cries of sorrow filled the air as the changelings awoke and called out their sadness. An hour after the call every changeling stood in front of the tower.

The Titans watched as Beast Boy walked out to address them with the five year old at his side, cries of 'Master' and 'what's going on?' all held the same feeling. Sadness. The council member lifted a hand and silence reigned "Elder Ophelia has passed on" a sharp gasp from the crowed spoke of volumes of emotion "I will go back and help decide the next elder, I will leave in a week and all of you that are able, I ask that you come as well. It will be a difficult process and the more of my family that is there the easier it will be"

A lady changeling, face lined with age, walked slowly to Beast Boy and but a hand on his arm. The Titans behind him couldn't see his face but the elderly lady gave him a weak smile "We will be there" and she walked away with every changeling nodding and agreeing.

* * *

Two days until he left and the others hadn't said a thing, he assumed that they would just let him go even after seven years of working together. He walked into his room to find out otherwise. The entire group sat in his room, and in all honestly there was plenty of places to sit, all that was in his room was a bed, a book shelf and a desk. The walls were covered with a map of the city and drawings and paintings, all his own. At the back of the desk was the only thing on it the horn and it's stand. Robin smiled and spoke "You didn't think we'd let you go alone did you?"

Beast Boy let out a timid smile "Yeah, actually I kinda did"

Cy slapped him on the back "Nope! Can't escape us! Besides we need to get to know the changelings better"

BB looked at them very seriously "I doubt you'd like the only way you'd get into the city"

Starfire cocked her head to the side "What way of entry do you mean Friend Beast Boy?"

He sighed and leaned against the door frame "Home is the best kept secret on earth. No one but changelings have even _seen_ the land _outside _the gates in thousands of years." they all looked at him with a burning sense of curiosity "first all of you would be blindfolded, then a mask over that. Next you would be bound and sedated, you would be taken to the largest building and the city and woken. After three days we would decide on you."

Raven asked in her monotone "Decide on what?"

BB closed his eyes and crossed his arms "…if we decide yes than you will be announced as safe and allowed to wander the village, though you would have to stay inside the walls. If no you will be killed and nobody will ever find you."

Robin chuckled nervously to try to ease some of the tension "And I thought all changelings were cheery"

The green man smirked "Tell me the truth, what do you think of when you see a changeling?"

Robin replied "normal people"

Cy- "same"

Star-"friends!"

Raven groaned "I see a bunch of immature brats…" the two humans and the Tameranaen stared at her.

The morphling smirked with eyes still closed "that's how most of the world sees us, and we play the part very well." he opened his eyes "remember, if you do go, you will never see a changeling the same way again"

They left the room in silence, the new found knowledge making them rethinking what they thought about their green friend.

* * *

Two days later the entire changeling population of Eternity stood around the tower waiting for Beast Boy, who walked out with the other Titans he looked at the group "They want to see Home" the small chatter that had been going on stopped all at once "Yorick, I'll need you to help me carry them" the young messenger walked up as Beast Boy pulled a bottle out of his backpack and turned to the Titans "alright, you guys need to drink this and lay down. When you wake up you'll be in Home, our city" each took a sip of the bittersweet liquid and laid down waiting for sleep.

As they did somebody spoke in a language they didn't know But Master, we cannot know if they will keep their word! We have been betrayed too many times for us to trust so easily!

It was a lilting song like language, it struck Raven that the changelings obsession with songs was not so unfounded after all, Beast Boy answered back in the same language They will, I live with them and understand them, they are going because we are all but unknown to them. I vouch for them

A woman sang back Master, your approval means worlds but people break trust all the time, if they do, what will you do?

Beast Boy looked at the four people who were still slightly awake I will do what the law calls for. I could not ask anyone else to do it… then the four let the drink wash them away to the land of dreams.

* * *

The four awoke in a brightly lit room with four beds and a huge window that took up the entire wall. As they put their feet down their skin touched the wood of the floor and felt it's smoothness while their shoes had been set to the side. A changeling walked in, an older woman by her looks, maybe late 60s and rushed out calling something in the changeling's language. 'need to start learning that' Raven thought as the door rushed open to see BB. Cy rubbed his head "Yo, B…B…?" the changeling looked completely different, he was dressed in a pure white sarong and a full sleeve white button up with wooden sandals made out of a nearly pure white wood and a long piece of white cloth that wrapped around his shoulders before flowing down his left arm and covering his hand. His eyes though were the most different, they were the ones that had frozen Raven a week ago, they were older than even her father's eyes.

Beast Boy turned to the two changelings that had followed him "Could I ask you to step outside, so I may speak to my friends?" the others bowed and walked out and closed the door. He turned and smiled a huge grin "Hey guys, Welcome to Home!" the others looked shell shocked.

Robin the leader snapped out of it first "Okay" he said very slowly "What's going on?"

Beast Boy smiled lightly "We are at Home, the one place on Earth that no modern Tameranain, Azeranthean or Human has ever been. In fact, I know that something along the lines of 99.9 percent of all non-changelings think this place is a myth."

Cy asked "What's up with your clothes, you look like a monk or something, but the other guys were wearing normal clothes"

The green one smirked lightly "It's because I'm an Elder"

Starfire blinked several times "But Friend Beast Boy, I thought one must be old to be an Elder, are you not only seventeen?"

Gar laughed and Raven mused that it sounded like a deep chime "I'm not fifteen, I'm _much_ older. With changelings appearances mean nothing" his smile fell and he turned to Starfire and Raven "You two can't leave this building without me or a guard"

Raven snapped "And why's that? Afraid to get a bad rep?"

He calmly shook his head "No, I'm afraid for your safety. The last war that the morphlings were in was with the other non-humans. Changelings have a long memory and we lost so many people" sadness radiated off them but it was quickly hid behind a smile "So, who's ready for some breakfast?"

They walked out of the building and into what looked like an open air market, the changelings wore different things, some wore normal clothes, others wore sarongs, yet others wore yukata and some even wore plate mail armor. The people would glare at those behind their Elder. A small woman walked up to Garfield and said something in their native tongue and Gar looked around "Yorick, Elizabeth-keep an eye on my friends. I'm going to see if I can send a message to the Forest Ones" and he walked off with purpose.

The kid they had met before stood before them in a loose kimono and smiled up brightly at them "Hello" he spoke with an accent and with a speech pattern much older than he seemed to be now that he was in Home "As Master has said I am called Yorick and my companion is Elizabeth" and he kissed the girl on her cheek.

Elizabeth looked about twenty with long hair and a bright smile, her clothes were much more laid back-a set of tight jeans and a t-shirt with a cow in a cheerleader out fit that said 'I support moo' she looked at the way BB had left with a dreamy look "God, isn't he just gorgeous? The way he moves is just so…"she sighed happily before looking back "Um, sorry…I'm Elizabeth, just call me Liz. I'm Yorick's mate!" she declared happily and even Starfire gave her a weird look.

The Tameranian started "Forgive me but is it not frowned upon to be mated with a child?"

Yorick nodded "Yes, but look at her, when she asked of me how could I ignore her plea?" they looked even more confused than before.

With a smirk Liz answered "I'm pretty sure that Master told you-with changelings appearances are nothing but a whim. Hell, I'm only two hundred and seven!"

Robin choked a little "What do you mean only!?"

Every green person within earshot looked at them with shock and Yorick started "D-Do you really not know?"

Cyborg stared "Know what?"

The apparent-not-five-year-old threw his head back and laughed for a long while leaving the Council members more confused than ever, once he got under control he wiped the tear from his eye "Changeling are immortal from age" he continued as they stood mouth agape "No changeling has ever died from old age, I'm one thousand three hundred and forty two right now. Master is much older, in fact he is the oldest changeling ever. He's been here from the beginning of our race." they stood there-stone still for nearly thirty minutes before they nodded and were silent as Yorick lead them to see the wonder that was Home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Forgive the long wait, but I've been busy with life and…er other stuff. And I know Gar's story is going to be weird but I'm trying to make him talk like an old myth, or rather, how I see an old myth.**

**This chapter might be the longest of the story because there's no real way to split this well and it sets up the entire world that this story takes place in.**

**Beta-ed by OMG Pterodactyls.**

* * *

A changeling dressed in an 18th century suit jogged up before taking off his hat and bowing his head "Master Ganrel is returning." his face showed that he wasn't really expecting the master to be happy.

Robin asked Yorick "Who is Ganrel?"

The small changeling sighed "Garfield is a relatively new name, Ganrel is one of the earlier forms and is Master's name."

Liz whispered "Well there he is and he's not looking all that happy…"

Indeed their friend looked exhausted and he made his way to them waving at those who offered their greetings, meaning everyone. As he approached he turned to face the crowd "I have tried to speak with those of us who dwell in the forest." mutterings came from every face in the crowd before he continued "I have asked them to come to the council for the new elder and they did not reply. I asked them what I could do to show them that I wish them to come from the bottom of my heart and they did not reply." his face took on a very soft smile, like the kind somebody who watched his child come home from a long trip "A youngling asked me to tell the Creation Stories. And I said yes." a cheer went up from the crowd.

Yorick looked concerned "Master…you know what that will entail."

Gar, or rather, Gan nodded but said "Yorick, why don't you and Liz make sure things are set up right. I've got to explain things to my friends."

Robin muttered "About time." but they followed him down the street. The buildings were unmarked but they were all made of a beautiful wood that seemed to have an invisible barrier some millimeters from the actual surface, the road, while simple pebbles, was designed with keep dry even when torrential rains pounded the area. Though the city was walled there was never a lack of room and the city itself seemed to exude an aura of open skies and plains.

As they made their way to what they could only guess to be a park set on top of the highest hill inside the walls everyone was shocked. The city was _massive._ The walls must have been easily ten stories tall and curving slightly inward giving the four statures, each in a cardinal directions, the feeling of watching over the people.

Beast Boy-no, Gan, Raven reminded herself sat down on the grass which was like a thick cushion and patted the ground beside him with his trademark smile, though much less blinding and far more real. He started slowly "Okay, here's the top things you need to know for tonight if you don't want to get _everybody _angry at you." his eyes were pleading honestly "I need you guys to listen and not talk, we don't have much time before I have to go to the meeting." he took a deep breath as they nodded "Alright, here's the thing-these stories are very intimate. When you ask someone to tell them they will tell you as they happened for them, so a child would tell you the story word for word from the book, for me…I was old before any civilization had written languages." Starfire's eyes bugged and all of them were suddenly very interest in how old he actually was.

Gan pushed his shoulders back and subtle pops sounded "Okay, the Forest Ones, back after the second of the three wars that engulfed all four races the other elder died, we only have two at a time, one of them, Alkona was of the mind that we should have recompense for all we suffered. He wasn't chosen and he called for his supporters to leave until the rest of us realized that we were superior warriors. He died shortly there after but for the most part the Forest Ones don't really have contact with us." he swallowed hard "And these stories will have the three wars. They are the creation of the races, the places and people that define the world." he said quietly.

Cy opened his mouth but Raven silenced him with a glare, this was the only time she had ever heard a changeling talk about their history.

Standing their friend gestured to the four statues, three of women and the final of a cloud with two circles barely touching in the middle with a bar running across the width of both "These are the four…mothers of our…the changeling's…world. The All Mother, God in any other culture, The Great Mother of the Sky-the sun, The First Mother, earth, and The Honored Sister of the Sun, the moon." he gave a smile "I don't really have to tell you about them any more since they're part of the stories!"

As they stood he looked to Yorick and Liz who had just come up behind them some distance and nodded. Raven watched for a moment before asking "How is it that nobody's found this place, no offence but it's just too huge to hide."

Now the seven of them were meandering their way down one of the main roads when Gan answered "It's a combination of things…which unless you marry a changeling and have kids with them you won't get an answer for."

Robin spoke up "That's a really weird condition."

Liz answered as the master was speaking to a runner "It's not, I mean what better way to get someone to keep a secret than when they have a huge stake in what it's loss would mean?"

Star watched as several other runners came in quick succession and the two male animorphs quickly spoke to each in tern "Friend Liz…may I call you that?" the 'youngest' nodded and smiled brightly "How is it that the other races do not think it suspicious that yours is the only city hidden?"

She looked over to her mate who came back "We have spent dozens of our generations perfecting the act that we are children, most of them think Home either doesn't exist or is a cave where we spend our time picking moss and mud pies or whatever juvenile fantasies they concoct." he said with a dismissive wave.

Raven watched quietly as Gan waved at them and darted off, to the meeting no doubt, before she turned to Yorick "What are we going to do until these stories start?"

The fake child looked up at the sky and seeing the sun high in the sky glanced around "If it would be acceptable shall we go back to the room? I must make sure the preparations are going well."

Liz nodded "Yeah, I need to check my email anyways."

Cy stopped walking "Email?"

The youngest changeling nodded "Yeah, we've get better wi-fi here than anywhere else in the world, and we've got all the GPS stuff totally butchered." at his confusion she thought for a minute "Um…your wi-fi? A humming bird?" he nodded happily until she continued "Ours? F-16."

The rest of the trip passed in silence and soon they were in the room chattering amongst themselves at their revelations about not just a person or a group but an entire race.

When the evening sun lit the world in golds and reds the group of four was led out by a sleepy looking changeling dressed like he just got out of bed. The place that was chosen was the park from earlier but now it was filled with what they didn't know was every changeling. The Forest Ones were easily recognizable by the heavy use of white paint on their bodies and, what would be considered, rags they wore.

They were ushered up the stage where Gan smiled at them before gesturing at the four chairs that sat right behind him. As they took their seats their friend started speaking with a voice they didn't realize he had, it carried over the entire audience without hesitation or echo and was only added to by his greatly emotional gestures.

* * *

The All Mother once existed in the Silent Realm, where those dead and those not yet born walk together, but the All Mother grew saddened by the souls, their lack of connection, their lack of feeling. With sadness in her heart she sought a remedy and retreated to the void and quietly created a number uncountable of daughters but only three stayed with her and became our Honored Mothers. Sun, the light for all, Earth, the bed of all and Moon, the comfort of all. She asked her daughters to help her-allow those of the Silent Realm to feel, to form emotions and love each other. Thus was the creation of the World.

* * *

The first story of the night was told and everyone not speaking took a moment to make a gesture, those not native to Home mirrored it only a few moments behind everyone else. They knelt and pressed their hands together and bowed their heads, almost like they were in prayer before they took their seats as Gan continued to the next stories.

* * *

While Humans were not the first life to come to the First Mother they were the first from the other realm and quickly they came to love her as we do. But they were suspicious of each other and of those that were different. Then came Dwar, the first of us, born from two humans he was blessed deeply and it was reflected in both his skin and eyes. When humanity rejected him his parents lived with him on the edges of their camp. Dwar's knowledge came not from the humans but from his father, his mother, the animals around him and the Earth herself. When he reached the age of marriage he bowed his head and spoke to his parents "Father, Mother. I must go to seek my wife. It is the way of things."

His parents were saddened but they understood and gave him their blessing.

Dwar wandered from camp to camp for four seasons until he could find no one that shared his blessing. After thinking about his choices for many days he called to Earth "First Mother!" she did not respond "First Mother!" he called again but still she did not answer "First Mother!" He called a third time and she did not heed him.

He turned his eyes to the sky and it was the moment where both Sun and Moon watch the world. He called out "Great Mother of the Sky!" again he called thrice with no reply.

Before he could contemplate what to do next The Honored Sister of the Sun descended and asked "Lonely Dwar, why do you call for my sisters?"

Dwar fell to his knees and bowed his head "Honored Sister, I wished for guidance."

Sister Moon asked "What do you wish to know?"

"Where I can find others like me." he replied.

Sister Moon spoke again "I do not know where there are others like yourself, but I will guide you to my sister."

Dwar could only thank her. It came to be that Sister Moon led him across the lands, he traveled further than any other person of his time. They came to the mountain man called _Vanattil Tottu _or 'touches the sky'.

Moon had become his companion and the start of the mountain trail forced them to separate and before she bid him farewell she spoke "Little Dwar, from here I cannot lead you anymore. I wish it otherwise."

Dwar bowed until his head touched the ground "Honored Sister, you have done more for me than I will ever be able to thank you for. "

Moon did not answer him but said "I wish you much luck to find people like you. Goodbye little Dwar." and she left leaving him alone to continue up the trail.

It took the First Shifter many days to climb the mountain before he stood before Sister Sun. Bowing before her he called out "Light of the Sky, Sister Sun please hear my prayers!"

Lady Sun came down and said "Little Dwar" To the Great Sisters each and every one of us were tiny, no bigger than an ant, "You have traveled far to come here. Tell me your story."

Dwar told his tale before asking "I have three questions, please tell me how to honor Sister Moon."

Lady Sun replied "I do not know how you would honor my sister."

Dwar asked "Do you know where I can find another like myself?"

Lady Sun replied "I do not."

Dwar asked, desperation filling his voice "Do you know how I can speak to Mother Earth?"

Lady Sun replied "I do know. There is a land back to the east where there are jungles so thick not even I can see to the ground, where there are so many animals that none can count them all."

Kneeling Dwar asked "How shall I honor you Light of the Sky?"

Lady Sun watched him "I do not know."

He bowed and she left leaving him to journey to a new land. It took him many seasons to cross the land and the ocean to go where Lady Sun spoke of. As she said there were creatures he had never seen before and colors he could never have found anywhere else. Wandering the land he came across a cave that pulled him in like the sweet smell of ripening fruit, he traveled down it's depths to see Mother Earth.

Mother Earth smiled as he came and bowed "Little Dwar! How far you've come!"

"Yes Mother of us All. I have come to ask questions." Dwar said.

She bid him "Ask, ask me Little Dwar."

Dwar asked "Please tell me how to honor the Sisters of the Sky."

She smiled "When the time comes you will know."

Dwar asked "Please tell me how to honor you."

She smiled "By coming this far from home you have done me great honor."

Dwar asked "Is there another like me?"

Mother Earth smiled "No. you are the first of your kind, but do not despair Little Dwar. From this clay I will make you a wife and I will make you a home where your kind can grow."

Before he could say anything else he found himself here, on top of this hill with a beautiful green woman. That was the creation of our race.

* * *

Gan took a moment to catch his breath as the listeners repeated the gesture they had after the first story. A child in the front asked "Can you please tell us about you?"

For a moment he froze but a small smile came on his face "I will if that is what you wish." as the child nodded happily he laughed "But first I need a break, all this talking has dried me out!"

Those around him laughed but slowly they made their way to the other side of the park where food was sat. Yorick looked around before pulling the group off to the side, he looked at Cyborg specifically "Changeling's do not eat meat." before the big man could protest he continued "We have something similar, Gan told us that you like meat…"

All of them quite happily admitted it was some of the best food they ever ate, and to their great surprise several changelings came over and sat with them and just listened to them talk, never saying anything but when asked nodding or shaking their heads. Gan had made moves to be diplomatic and ate while moving about the Forest Ones. He came up to them several times and chatted with them but even Cy knew that if he was trying to get a diplomatic relationship going with what would be estranged countrymen then he needed to be with them.

When the group came back to the stage the sun had just fully set and solar lanterns kept the area bright. The only difference was a small stool set on the stage that Gan took, he smiled "I hope you don't mind if I sit, these old bones aren't what they used to be!" the crowed chuckled but went silent as his smile fell "These next stories are hard for me, those I've lost, the wars…but if I'm to ever get over them I'll need the help of my family." his eyes scanned the crowed before coming to stop on the group that he lived with.

Every voice in the city rang out in a cry of support. He smiled and bowed. He started quietly "These stories are together for me-made into one, because to me it's not history. It's my past, I lived through it and it will never be anything different for me."

* * *

There were many like us before I was born, but my grandfather-Dwar never let me forget that no matter where we came from we were family. My parents had died shortly after I was born but Grandpa never let me down and when I was only 114 a knock came to the door, it was noon on the summer solstice when a lady named Katli gave birth. My grandfather, grandmother and myself rushed to the house when something amazing came upon us.

Katli's child had orange skin and locks of red hair. The babe wailed and cried but someone was watching other than the parents and doctors. My grandfather bowed and called her "Lady Sun."

She told him "You asked how you would honor me. This shall be how. I wish to know what two gifts above all others you would give the first of my people."

Grandfather gently held the newborn girl's head, his fingers touched around her head and his thumbs touched her right above the eyes. In a voice like a whispering god he said "I would give her vitality, the life full of energy. Compassion as well, emotions that link all people and the gift that the All Mother gives to all from the Silent Realm."

Lady Sun asked to hold Katli's child and the mother allowed her. The Brightest Light of the Sky asked the child's name, then she held the baby Tameran above her head and proclaimed "This is the first of my people, those of the Earth blessed by the Sun."

Thus was the birth of the Tameraneans.

* * *

Everyone but Gan had turned to look at Starfire who seemed to glow at his retelling, her smile grew blinding and at the end her friend, the storyteller turned and smiled at her. Everyone that saw the smile she returned could believe that she was the daughter of the Sun.

Gan's face was strained and he looked every bit of his many, many years.

* * *

In my long life I have loved five women. The first was a human named Onia. We were together until she died, in those days eighty was a very long life and due to an accident we never had children. It was very hard to lose her. She was my first wife and remembering her loss always cuts me deeply.

Seven hundred years after that Gwendolyn, a changeling, and I were married but that did not last long as the Great Plague took her within two decades and many of all the races died in those perilous months.

After the plague receded I was one of the eldest left and my only senior Lady Quail decided to have two advisors for the entire race. It was during this time that I received my greatest honor.

It was deep in the night when the call for me came. Roona had been in labor since sunset and it had been very hard on both her and the child. All of our healers were there to ease her trial. When I arrived Roona was radiant, her labor of love left her exhausted but she looked at peace as she held her babe.

Again a stranger stood in the room and even having never met her before I knew who it was. Lady Moon. We all knelt but she was very informal and told us to stand. She looked around and for some reason she chose me. Lady Quail was there too but she chose me.

I'll never forget it.

She said "I remember you were there for the first of my Sister's people. What would you give mine?"

I thought long and hard about what Lady Moon meant to me. I looked at the babe, moon kissed skin and hair like the Moon's own crown. I cut my hand and let a drop of blood fall on the newborn's head. "I would give her all my knowledge. I wish for her only the greatest of peace. Those would be my two gifts."

Roona handed the Goddess her baby who said "These gifts would honor both myself and Azar."

* * *

Gan slowly showed his hand where a deep silver cut lay across the middle, like the moon had pressed it's light into the cut. Raven suddenly felt the reason why she usually felt so…off around him. If it truly was his blood embedded in her bones it would mean that he was there when…everything…had happened. It would be like her history books given life and shaped into a person who could answer all her questions. Something akin to a god if she thought about it deeply.

Looking at him in a new light she noticed how he looked at her. Her eyes dilated and her heart started to hammer, her blood seemed to run backwards. He smiled at her with a peerless warmth and she smiled back, just a small one. The group watching her looked at her differently, something akin to understanding in their eyes but she missed it.

He turned back to the crowd and she noticed how sad he looked.

* * *

Then came the wars. Two thousand years ago was the first of three wars that shaped the world as we know it. The first hints of unrest were whispered in dark rooms with doors pulled shut and too much drink. Humans whispered 'why don't we have the gifts they do? Aren't we the first?' this tension made it's way through the small villages for years before a man named Khan was born on the very outskirts of the world.

Khan was human resentment given life. He killed and maimed his way to chief of his village before he started conquering the rest of his kind. In his bloody revolution he destroyed all banners that would fly other than his own. He paid for the first real kingdom of men in twenty-seven years and countless dead.

His first royal decree was that no one not of human blood was allowed within his borders. Those of the Sun and Moon allowed it because they believed he was quelling internal strife. We did not. We had been watching him for years and realized how blood soaked he would become given a chance. Within two years of creating his empire he attacked a settlement of Tamaraneans and killed everybody.

Very quickly everyone realized he wanted to have unrestricted genocide. He stormed every home he could and killed everyone he could lay his hands on that wasn't human. Almost worse was what he did to his own people, every male older than 12 was conscripted to fight and die for him.

The Tamaraneans and Azarathians quickly mounted their own forces. We did not. We are not warring peoples, in the years since the creation of the races we are the only ones who have not taken up arms against ourselves. The others have had dozens of civil wars yet we have never followed that.

We gathered to discuss our actions like we are now to reflect on them. We did not have the numbers or violence in us to oppose them in aggression so we opened Home to those of Sun and Moon who were injured.

That led to our discovery.

In our blood is both predator and prey yet we were unconnected to our hunting instincts.

Home was attacked. It was a large army led by Kahn himself to wipe us out and those we were caring for. He marched through the gates with nearly 10,000 people behind him. At that time we numbered 3,437. The fighting took place in our streets and in our homes. It was brutal in ways that I still have nightmares about, many of us died, so many that I fear one day I won't remember all of them.

But we made them pay in blood. Kahn and his army were destroyed and only a handful survived, men we deemed had no will to fight. But we lost 1,287 brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and children. We ended the war but had to write the treaty in our own blood.

Reparations are part of war and one of the few elders who had the will to oppose Kahn became king in order for the repayments of our blood to be made. To the Tamaraneans went a huge section of land including a huge vein of silver, the Azarathians took a copy of every book the humans possessed. We asked for a headstone for every one of our people that died.

* * *

Robin and Cy felt a great sadness at the realization that their species would-could destroy these people. Even when they were intruders they were shown respect, there was dislike yes, but it was tempered by these people who knew they were not their ancestors. They didn't have a chance to say anything when Gan continued.

* * *

The second war came seventy years after the first. Seventy years is a long time to both humans and Tameraneans and a significant time to Azarathians but to us it is a day.

In seventy years the Tameranean royal family had changed, the king of the first war was long buried and his grandson on the throne and his son was his heir and took trips around their nation. His delights were atrocities. He thought it was his right to torture humans. He spent many days destroying them inside and out.

Then he overstepped his boundaries and went into the human nation. Riding a horse down in one of the many villages he trampled a small girl to death. The parents were distraught but he did not care. He offered no apology and had no remorse. The people chased him back to his own country where he rallied a battalion of troops to crush those who drove him out.

The few survivors rushed to the king who demanded recompense for the senseless death of so many of his people. The Tameraneans refused. They said that their prince was right, humans were nothing more than violent cattle meant to be used.

Some Tameraneans openly refuted this and were thrown in jails or cast out of the country.

Humans demanded that the prince be given to them for execution as was their right but the Tameraneans sent out another battalion to destroy another village and war was upon us once again.

The Azaranthians begged that the Tameraneans stop but they were declared traitors by the Crown of the people of the Sun and war was thrust upon them as well.

Changelings have always had other races as lovers, husbands and wives. My wife was the daughter of a minor Tameranean noble, she and a delegation of Tameraneans that loved our people went to ask the King to promise us no harm.

Instead they were tortured, my own wife was drawn and quartered. I had gone discreetly to find why they had been gone for several months when I came across the cheering crowd watching her struggle against the ropes that ended her.

We did not go to war. We went in like shadows in the night, soft and fleeting, we came down like a scythe on wheat and filled with a great rage. The Royal family was poisoned and died quickly, a fate far kinder than what they did to their countrymen who disagreed.

The only one with Royal ties that was not killed was a cousin of the King who had been in jail since the beginning as he refused to allow the war to happen. The recompense for both humans and Azaranthians was nothing physical, instead, he rooted out those who would continue that horrible war.

* * *

The changelings flinched at the tears in Starfire's eyes, how sad she was that her own people would harm those she would come to call friends. To harm their own because they asked to protect their loved ones.

The princess was on the verge of crying openly when a changeling in the crowd, old enough to remember the war, said "You are descended from one of the last Changeling Friends! You carry his strength and none of the sin!" this set off a riotous cheer for the princess who smiled at the people in a taste of bittersweet joy.

Gan's hand on her back was joined by her other friend's and it was the greatest comfort she could have asked for.

* * *

But it was the new king's attempts to bring those who would continue to fight out that was impetus for the next and final war. There were far more who were willing to continue than he expected and many of them were in the army forcing him to go into hiding after sending messengers to the other three nations when they turned against him.

But the messenger sent to Azarath convinced the High Council that the General now in wearing the Crown of the people of the Sun was right in trying to subjugate the humans. They had proven themselves too violent and thoughtless to rule themselves and they needed a strong hand in order to not hurt themselves or others.

We pleaded but they did not listen. They joined with those that only a few years prior called them traitors and were at war with them.

We decided to openly oppose those who were of the Sun and Moon. They argued that they were claimed by the Sun and Moon and thus divinely guided and that they were evolved from us.

We countered that we were never claimed, Dwar had asked and his parents had told him that no one came to ask to bless him and that they were attacking innocent people.

In our eyes we had just lost too many of our own and the world seemed to be going insane with war and want to murder. We knew that war was beyond us, we had too few but learning from our first attack we sent out small numbers to creep into the strongholds of those who would wage war and slaughter them in their sleep.

Our guilt consumed us but the memories of that first attack on us were burned into our memories and we would have done anything to prevent that from happening again.

That was the end of the war. The High Council was warned that if they started war on us again we would destroy them again, that we would protect our own and the Tameranean king was placed back on his throne.

* * *

Starfire had been comforted by the changelings before but Raven felt alone, bare to those around her. Her anger at the hypocritical High Council was the highest she had ever experienced but she had never been this sad. That these peaceful people were still wracked by guilt for killing to protect their own after they had been protectors for so long without bloodshed. That her own people would push them to this made her sick.

Gan slowly stood "Those are the stories. It is late and I am old. Those of you who wish to vote should come tomorrow at noon so that we may decide. Good night."

Gan gestured his friends to come with him and quickly they stood up and followed him. The night streets were pleasantly cool and lit by glass lamps.

Robin said quietly "I never would have expected that sort of history…or that you're old enough to remember that."

Gan smiled tiredly "History is not always written by the winners, on occasion it's the series of events that lets those involved loose the least sleep. Could you imagine how tense racial relationships would be today if they knew how badly they had been treated by the others in the past?"

Cy muttered in agreement before saying "But you guys would be hailed as heroes!"

"Or feared as monsters." Gan countered "We're already an unknown to most people but by feeding them the 'we're kids' spiel we convince them we're not dangerous, that we're harmless."

Liz appeared as they got closer to the building and said seriously "Tomorrow's gonna be it, huh?"

Gan nodded but Raven asked "What's happening tomorrow?"

The two changelings looked at each other and Gan said quietly "We vote. To either accept you as the first Changeling Friends in almost 1500 years."

Robin prompted "Or?"

"Or you die."


End file.
